Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-01-22
MORALITY OF THE DISTRICT.

MORALITY OF THE DISTRICT.
What the Commissioner say Of the
Petition OF the woman's Christian
Temperance Union.
District Commissioners Webb ana wheatley
speaking TO STAR reporter today OF the petition
OF the W. c. T. U. presented to the Senate yester-
DAY making charges against the Commissioners
relating chiefly to the enforcement OF the liquor
license laws, said the ladies who signed the
charges cited against the Commissioners the very
things for which they should be commended.
1--WE found" said Mr.. wheatley, shat the keepers
OF houses OF prostitution were allowed TO sell
liquor under the wholesale liquor law, paying s2s
ayear and no record WAS made OF the matter.
We considered that II such licenses were 70 be
ISSUED the keepers OF such places should pay the
regular license OF 800 year, and have 20 re.
Qnlred. We cannot assume that the house, IL a
house OF prostitution, merely In common report,
when the person applying for a license complies
in every way with the law, obtaining the written
consent OF q majority OF the neighooring property
owners and residents"
COMMISSIONER WEBB ON THE NEW LICENSE BILL
''n these ladies would support us in the efforts
we have made, I" said Mr.. Webb, .'they could &C
oomplish much good. The bill which MI. Ingalls,
we have done our best to have it passed. II has
passed the Senate but In the House was returned
10 the District committee for reconsideration be-
cause a protest against its passage signed by
liquor dealers was received. The Commissioners
drew up that measure III these ladies' have any
influence why don't they use 1t Ia favor or that
THE COMMISSIONERS CANNOT WITHHOLD A LIQUOR
LICENSE IF THK LAW rs COMPLIED WITH.
r.Webb said that II was very doubtful whether
the Commissioners could lawfully refuse liquor
license TO any one complying with the law. The
Attorney General, he said, had decided at the time
Postmaster General Maynard maintained that
there should be no license issued 10 a staurant
on street. opposite the Post Office building, that
the issuing or licenses was matter entirely
within the discretion OF the Commissioners, but
the commissioners thought the courts had held
the reverse, and that Judge Wylie had decided, In
q case where an applicant who had complied with
the law was refused a license that the Commits
SionerS had no discretion.
THE LAWS IN BAD CONDITION
The Commissioners, he said, had to struggle
with laws that were In very bad condition As an
instance he referred to the clause ia the existing
law which requires applicants to have the permis-
sion of ama1ority or property owners and residents
ION the same side OF the square where IL is desired
to locate such business, and on the same side OF
the square fronting and opposite the same" This
ambiguous language left 1t doubtful which side OF
the opposite square was meant. The attorney OF
the District interpreted the law to mean "the side
OF the square fronting and opposite the same, y
and the Commissioners acted ia accordance with
that construction. IL any liquor dealer tested IN
the matter in court, It was doubtful what
that the law did not as he UNDER
stood 1t, make any requirement as 70
the moral character OF the occupant. The CON-
missioners withheld licenses from applicants who
had fines against them unpaid at would be alb
surd." he said, 'to require US TO examine into the
moral character OF persons applying for bar-room
which Mr.. Webb says is not now in force, re.
quired that the mayor before issuing a license
should be satisfied OF the "legal responsibility
and good character" OF the person or persons APP
plying. 'If that law were In force" said Mr.
Webb, 'there would be precious few licenses
issued"
RESULT OF THE ENFORCEMENT OF THE LICENSE LAWS
''The complaint" said Mir. Webb, shat there
have been more saloons licensed under the present
Commissioners than heretofore is explained by the
fact that we have enforced the law. do not
think the license law has ever been enforced so
strictly as at present: II the complaint was that
there We're more unlicensed places where LIQUOR
was sold than ever before that would be another
thing. or course, we cannot say how many unii-
censed places there may be. We presume, OF
course, that there are not any. IL the officers OF
the District know OF such they take steps to prose-
cute them or to compel them TO comply with the
license law. We have compelled many accustomed
to sell liquor under wholesale licenses, for which
they paid only So year, to take regular bar
room licenses ana pay 800 year. In the cases OF
reputed houses or prostitution the only change is
that they have been required to take out retail in
stead OF wholesale licenses, and no complaints were
made against the character OF the houses when
the occupants applied for licenses"
Referring to matters in the petition personal to
himself Mr.. Webb said that he supposed the presi-
dent Of the Liquor Dealers association, who was
on his bond, was Mr.. Frank Hume. Twelve or mr.
teen gentlemen, he said, came and volunteered TO
90 on MS he Of sa
81 WISH" he remarked, 'syOu would ask MIR. Hum 2
II he has derived any advantage from his relations
to me-"
In reference to the house No. 1922 owned by
Mr.. Webb, which it is charged was occupied and
used for the purposes OF the Louisiana Lottery
pany, Mr.. Webb stated that ne was informed that
the person who rented It was an agent VI the
Louisiana Lottery company. Thereupon he had
his nephew, who managed his private business, 10
notify the tenant that he could not conduct lot
terry business there. Upon that he was told that
the person had stopped his business, II he had
any, at that place, and removed his Office else
where, though he still continued to live Ia the
house. In reference to the charge that i've N.
censes had beeen granted on street, between LIST
and I'd streets southeast, Mr.. Webb said
a misapprehension. The police are required
to certify. when such Is the fact, that
the required majority OF residents and property
owners have given consent. When such is hot the
fact they MAKE no certificate. La this case, con-
trary to custom, the police may issue a certificate
apparently in the usual form, on the strength OF
which the licenses We're granted. When attention
Was called to the matter IL was discovered that
the certificate was that the applications wer.
'nOt" supported by the required majority. The
Commissioners are now considering whether they
have legal power 10 revoke the Licenses.
WHAT COL LUDLOW SAYS.
Col Ludlow, speaking OF the liquor license matter
said with confident smile: 'The Commissioners
have made no mistake in this matter In fact they
have made no mistake In any important matter
Notwithstanding the severe criticism TO which
they have been subjected. What is wanted is egis-
lation. Ii the District committee would bring out
the bills that have been pigion h0led and put them
through, this matter would be regulated. l AIN ia
favor or a high license and rigid plain law
Make the license $500 year, and lei IL be forfeited
II the law Is violated in any particular, license al
one hundred dollars year is too cheap"
THE PENDING LICENSE BIII-
After the reading OF the petition oI the Women's
Christian Temperance union In the senate yester-
day, Mr.. ingalls,, chairman OF the District CON-
mittee stated in The STAR had read the bill re-
ported by the Senate District committee
and passed by the Senate at the last session
and which Is now pending before the District conn.,
mittee OF the House OF Representatives.
The bill referred TO Is Senate bill 1850, 'regulat-
ing the sale OF distilled and fermented liquors In
the District OF Columbia" The bill provides that
the District Of Columbia licenses as dealers i'm dis
titled and fermented liquors, wines and cordlals In
said District, under existing laws, shall pay am
nually for such license the sum OF $500: fr0piuea
That such license shall not authorize any person
to sell such liquors, wines, or cordials ia less
quantity than one pint, nor to be drunk upon the
premises where sold. That proprietors OF bar-rooms
who shall obtain Licenses SHAH pay $500 annually
for such license. Every place where distilled,
malt, or fermented liquors. wines or cordials are
sold TO be drunk on the premises or In quantities
less than one pint shall be regarded rs barroom;
and the possession or malt distilled fermented or
any intoxicating liquors, with the means and ap-